Usual rules apply: synopses are taken from the press releases, snarky commentary is extra, and preview links go to Apple.com. And just in case you were wondering, the DVD prices are the listed retail prices. You can get them cheaper if you buy at discount stores or online.

An Iranian-American student (Omar Metwally) travels to Uruguay to convince the family of a noted Hispanic author to give him permission to write a biography. His brother (Anthony Hopkins), wife (Laura Linney) and mistress (Charlotte Gainsbourg) are all dealing with the loss. Directed by James Ivory, so it already has the “CHICK FLICK” stamp on it. Extras: making-of featurette, commentary.

Cougar Town: The Complete First Season

ABC, 552 minutes, 24 episodes, $39.99

Courtney Cox stars as Jules, a recently divorced wife and mother who finds herself back in the dating scene. Now she adds that to her other struggles: parenting and friendship. Extras: bloopers, deleted scenes, five featurettes.

Dead Man Running

Phase 4 Films, 92 minutes, R

DVD: $29.99

BD: $29.99

Ex-con Nick (Tamer Hassan) has just been informed that the nastiest loan shark in the city (rapper Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson) is collecting all debts loaned to him. Unfortunately, he owes $100,000, and it’s due in 24 hours. So he and his partner Bing (Danny Dyer) go on a violent crime spree to raise the cash. This is the first film I’ve seen that was charging the same price for DVD or BD. Interesting trend. Extras: making-of featurette, behind-the-scenes footage.

Dexter: The Fourth Season

Showtime/Paramount, 632 minutes, 12 episodes, 4 discs

DVD: $49.99

BD: $69.99

America’s favorite serial killer (Michael Hall) returns as a husband and father, but still with a need to kill. And now he’s got competition. Extras: featurettes, interview.

Extreme Survival Pack

Gaiam, 215 minutes, $19.98

Episodes from the Discovery Channel series “Secrets to Survival,” “I Shouldn’t Be Alive” and “Man vs. Wild.” All deal with people who survived some extraordinary circumstances. I assume they were recreated for the cameras. No extras listed.

Friday Night Lights: The Fourth Season

Universal, 566 minutes, 13 episodes, 3 discs, $29.98

Continuing saga of Dillon, Texas; where Friday Night High School Football is the only thing that the town lives for. Extras: four featurettes, commentary.

Brendan Fraser moves his family to a new “eco-friendly” housing development that interferes with the local critters desire to have a pristine forest. They seek their revenge. Slapstick is supposed to ensue. One of the worst reviewed movies of the year to date, scoring only 8% on the Tomatometer. And none of their top critics liked it at all. Watch at your own risk. Extras: deleted scenes, two featurettes, gag reel, commentary.

Hamlet

Warner Bros., 242 minutes, PG-13, $34.99 (BD)

The Kenneth Branagh version of Shakespeare’s famous play gets the Warner Bros. BD-book treatment. Extras: commentary, making-of featurette, more.

A History of Scotland

BBC Video, 600 minutes, 10 episodes, 5 discs, $59.98

British television documentary series on the turbulent history of Scotland, including the real history of William Wallace (the character played by Mel Gibson in “Braveheart”). Narrated by Neil Oliver. Extras: documentary “How The Celts Saved Britain,” 24-page booklet.

Miley Cyrus steps out of the “Hannah Montana” personality to star as the estranged daughter to Greg Kinnear. Of course, there’s a love interest, as Miley’s character takes interest in a boy (Liam Hemsworth) that she meets during the otherwise challenging summer vacation. My niece saw the film; she hated it because it wasn’t true to the Nicolas Sparks novel. And she loves Miley. Extras: set tour, music video, making-of music video. BD adds alternate opening sequence, deleted scenes, commentary.

Madeline’s Halloween & Other Spooky Tales

Shout! Factory, 5 episodes, $12.99

More adventures of the French boarding school girl and her classmates as they encounter ghouls, mummies and a haunted castle. No extras listed.

Orlando: Special Edition

Sony, 93 minutes, PG-13, $19.94

Tilda Swinton plays the title character, a man whose life extends over four centuries. He starts out as a British nobleman, then falls in love with a Russian princess, then takes up bad poetry, then serves as an ambassador in Central Asia, then changes sex in the middle of a war, then must marry and have heirs or lose everything. Confused yet? I am, and I only summarized the press release. Extras: commentary, interview with director Sally Potter, four featurettes.

Simon Schauma: A History of Britain – Special Edition

BBC Video, 882 minutes, 15 episodes, 6 discs, $59.98

Documentary on Britain’s 5,000-year history, from the Stone Age up to the 20th century. Presented by renowned historian Simon Schauma. Extras: introduction from Schauma, making-of featurette, interview, more.

Temple Grandin

HBO, 114 minutes, $26.98

Claire Danes stars as Temple Grandin, who was diagnosed as autistic but became a scientist, author and animal advocate. Also stars Catherine O’Hara, Julia Ormand, David Strathairn. Extras: commentary featuring the real Grandin, making-of featurette.

Ugly Betty: The Complete Fourth and Final Season

ABC, 860 minutes, 20 episodes, 4 discs, $39.99

Swan song, literally, for the adventures of Betty Suarez (America Ferrera), as she attempts to keep up with her colleagues at a glossy fashion magazine. Extras: bloopers, deleted scenes, webisodes, two featurettes.